What mattered most at UFC on ESPN 10 in Las Vegas? Here are a few post-fight musings …
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1. Calvillo capitalizes on her opportunity
Cynthia Calvillo took a major leap forward with her main event victory over Jessica Eye. The unanimous decision win wasn’t the most thrilling or memorable performance but, in the grand scheme of things, it was a pretty special moment in her career.
Not only did Calvillo move up from strawweight to an unfamiliar flyweight division, but she drew the No. 1-ranked contender (according to the UFC’s official rankings) in Eye, who missed weight. It also happened to be booked on less than three weeks’ notice, and in a headlining spot, meaning potentially uncharted waters for Calvillo.
She had to face those waters because the fight went all five rounds. She slowed a touch in the latter stages, but given she’d never been there before, and did not have a proper camp, it’s more than excusable. The upside is she’s experienced it, though, and if another five-round fight or title opportunity comes her way, she’ll be much more confident going in.
Calvillo now catapults into a prime position in her new division, and the opportunities ahead already look radically better than what was on her plate six months ago.
5 biggest takeaways from UFC on ESPN 10: Cynthia Calvillo's strong debut, Andre Fili's top-15 hopes
